Safety steering device.



E. H. DAVIS & E. J. RHODES. SAFETY STEERING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN.25, 1911.

1,069,862 Patented Aug. 12 1913.

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EDWARD E. Davis ann'n'mon :ri RHODES, or" SAN MERTIN, cnnrromirm sarn'rY's'rnnnmo iinvrrcia Patented Aug; as, rare.

Application filed January 25, 1911. Serial 2N0. 604,664.-

TO-aZZ'wkOm itmag concern:

Be it k newn that we, EmvAnn H. Davis and-v En'rorr Jr Rnonns; citizens of the United. States, residing at San Martin, in thecounty of Santa Glara', State of California, have invented: anew and useful Device, of which-the'following' is a specification.

The present invention appertain's to steering mechanisrns for motor vehicles, and

aims' primarily to provide an attachment for: thefront axle of the vehicle which'w'ill cooperatewith the connecting-rod for the steering wheels in i order to yieldingly hold the'connecting rodin neutral position, or in such'apo'sition thatth'e vehicle will move in a straightline or forward, thusrelieving the driver or chauffeur, to a great extent, of the duty of maintaining the steering wheel in such a position.

' It is also the object of the present invention to provide an attachment of the character indicated which shall be simple, durable, substantial and inexpensive in construction, as well as eiiicient, convenientand serviceable in its use, and, which *shall be provided with means whereby the movement of the connecting. rod may be limited, so as to limit the movement of the steering wheels about the axes of the knuckles to which thereof are so arranged, that the tension of they are connected, and means whereby the connecting rod may be permitted to work free, as usual.

To the above and other ends, the present invention resides in the novel construction, arrangement and combination 0 parts as hereinafter set forth and claimed, reference had to the accompanying drawing, wherein the invention isillustrated in its preferred embodiment, and wherein Figure 1 is a plan view of the attachment as applied to the axle and connecting rod of an automobile. Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Referring specifically to the drawing, the

7 letter A designates the axle of an automobile, and C denotes the connecting rod of the steering wheels or the knuckles thereof, the said connecting rod serving to cause the wheels to turn in unison when turned to one side or the other by the operator b means of the steering wheel, as is well un erstood.

In carrying out the present invention there has been provided a rectangular frame 5, the sides of which are secured to the axle by means of a pair of clips 6. The clips Safety: Stesring" embrace the axle and securing members 4 serve to attach the sides of the frame to the clips'adjacent one end'of'the frame, so that the said end of the frame stands between the axle and the connecting rod. A pair of' arms or levers 8 are pivoted or fulcrumed to'the'other end ofthe frame and project beyond the connecting rod, their free ends being ofi'set, as designated by the numeral 1.1 to provide the diverging" elbows 10. contractile-spring 1-2 has its extremities 13 secured throughout to the offset ends ofthe arms 8 and is normally under considerable tension soas tojhold the arms 8 together with considerable'forc'e. A- stop in the form of a block or the like, designated 15, is secured-to-that end of the frame which stands between the axle and the connecting-rod by means of belts or other removable securing members'lfiy-the said stop being disposed between the arms 8. Thus, the tension of the spring 12 will hold the arms 8 against the'ends ofthe stop or block 15, the said stop: and the respective securing members 4: servingto limit the oscillatory movements of thearms 8. A boltor other member 17 is carried by the connecting rod and a roller 18 is mounted upon the said member and- .fitsor projects between the arms 8.

The attachment and .the various parts the arms 8 will tend to maintain the connecting rod in neutral position or in such a position that the steering wheel will cause the vehicle to move in a straight line. Then, as the steering mechanism is manipulated to turn the steering wheels to one side or the other, the connecting rod 0 will be moved in the direction to which the wheels are turned and will carry with it, the roller 18. The said roller will swing the arm '8 therewith, which lies in its path, the other arm engaging the stop 15 and being prevented from moving therewith, so that the spring 12 is brought under greater tension, or under accelerating tension as the wheels are turned farther. When the steering mechanism is released or free, the tension the same time permits the connecting rod to yield in either direction for turning the steering wheels. The respective securing members 4 serve to limit the movement ofthe arms so that the connecting rod is limited in its movement, which will prevent the steering wheel from being turned excessively. a

When it is desired to remove the tension from the connecting rod 'or the steerin From the foregoing, taken in connection with the drawing, the advantages of the present device will be apparent and it will be noted thatthe objects aimed at have been carried out satisfactory, the present device providing a desirable one for the purposes for which it is designed.

Having thus described the invention what is claimed as new is 1. In combination with a vehicle axle and a connecting rod for the steering wheels, a rectangular frame having its sides secured to the axleso that one end stands between theaxle and connecting rod,a pair of arms pivoted to the other projecting beyond the connecting rod with their free ends offset, a contractile spring end of the frame and:

sides of the frame to the clips adjacent one end of the frame, so that the said end stands between the axle and connecting-rod, a pair of arms pivoted to the other end of the frame and projecting beyond the connecting rod with their free ends offset, the respective aforesaid securing members serving as stops for the arms, a contractile spring connecting the offset ends of the arms and nor mally under considerable tension, a stop disposed between the arms, securing members attaching the stop to the former end of the frame and permitting its removal to allow the arms to swing free, and a roller carried by the connecting rod and projecting between the said arms.

In testimony that we claim the foregoing as our own, we have hereto affixed our signatures in the presence of two witnesses.

EDWARD H. DAVIS. ELTON J. RHODES. Witnesses:

WM. '1. AceELnR, F A. SCHILLING. 

